The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it has signed a significant $65,7 million contract modification with Bollinger Shipyards for the continued production of unmanned marine vehicles (UCVs) used to counter mine threats at sea. The new contract covers the update and additional production of UAVs developed under the Mine Countermeasures Unmanned Marine Vehicles (MCM USV) program.
According to the statement, the work under the contract will be carried out in various locations in different states of the USA. These locations include Lockport and Slidell in Louisiana, Portsmouth in Virginia and Columbus in Indiana. The project is expected to be completed in September 2028. According to the Defense Blog, a total of over $2024 million in funding has been allocated for this critical project in fiscal years 2025 and 65. This significant investment demonstrates the US Navy’s commitment to ensuring maritime security and increasing its effectiveness against mine threats.
Bollinger Shipyards Completed Its First IDA Delivery
Headquartered in Lockport, Louisiana, Bollinger Shipyards previously achieved a significant milestone in this area. The company announced that it successfully delivered the first three full-rate production UAVs of the MCM USV program to the U.S. Navy on April 4, 2025. “Bollinger is proud to deliver the first three full-rate production UAVs to the U.S. Navy,” Bollinger Shipyards CEO Ben Bordelon said in a statement regarding the delivery. “This milestone demonstrates Bollinger’s ability to deliver highly complex, next-generation capabilities that meet the evolving needs of our naval forces.” This first delivery was recorded as a significant achievement in terms of program progress and Bollinger Shipyards’ production capacity.
UAVs Will Replace Manned Systems
The Mine Countermeasure Unmanned Marine Vehicles (MCM USV) in question were specifically designed to replace the manned MCM-1 Avenger-class mine hunting vessels and MH-53E heavy-lift helicopters that are currently in the US Navy’s inventory and are being phased out of service. These new-generation UAVs will be able to perform critical tasks such as detecting mines at sea, clearing mined areas, and destroying detected mines autonomously or via remote control. Thanks to their unmanned operation capabilities, they will maximize personnel safety while providing the opportunity to operate in dangerous waters for longer periods of time and more effectively. This technological transformation represents a significant leap forward in the US Navy’s mine warfare capabilities.
